Dreamer's Redemption

Chapter Five

"Fine. I ordered us something to eat," he said. "Tingo and venison."

"Sounds good," Dominae said. She took the seat next to Minion. "He behaving?"

"As much as one can when they've got their head buried in a tankard of honey ale." Minion sounded disgusted.

Dominae grinned. "I hope you didn't order any of that for us," she teased.

"Water only," Minion said, turning his bright blue eyes on her. He smiled seductively, causing her heart to flip flop in her chest. "I'd rather you were in control of your actions."

"I bet," Dominae murmured, the blush creeping into her cheeks.

Minion chuckled. "How does the room look?"

"Two beds," Dominae said.

"Well, that's something." Minion raised his brows. "Other than that?"

"It looks good," she said, looking at him. "The beds are comfortable. After a couple days of sleeping on the ground, though, most any sort of bed would be comfortable."

"A bed is a bed, in other words."

"Yeah." She smiled. "A bed is a bed." Her eyes flicked to Jason. "Though I'm not sure some of us appreciate them as much as others."

"I'm sure he won't go near his," Minion remarked. "He'll likely fall asleep with his head on the bar or a table. They'll leave him there to be robbed or worse while he sleeps it off."

"Would serve him right," Dominae said.

Minion studied her. "I'll take him up to bed tonight," he said after a minute.

"Would you?" Dominae asked. "Thanks."

Cacia joined the two of them just as several large platters were set before them. "Ah, that smells heavenly!" she said. She glanced at Jason, then lowered her voice, "Dominae, I don't want to share a room with him any more."

Dominae considered. "Maybe he could share with Grey," she said finally. "At least he'd have eyes on him at all times."

"Or I could switch with Cacia," Minion said quietly. "Let you and she share a room, and I'll watch over Jason."

Dominae bit her lip and looked between the two. She said, "Maybe for this one night. You don't mind, do you, Minion?"

"I'm the one who offered," he said.

Dominae nodded. "Thank you," she said. "Does that sound all right, Cacia?"

Cacia grinned. "Are you kidding? It'll be like a sleepover." The smile faded from her lips as she recalled the last sleepover they'd had. Dominae was also remembering. "I miss Sara."

"So do I," Dominae sighed. "We'll find her, Cacia."

"Yeah," Cacia said.

Minion reached for a bit of venison. "Eat," he told the girls. "We don't know when we'll get this much good meat again."

It was all the invitation they needed. Both girls fell to eating.

###

Shortly after dinner, Dominae and Cacia went to their room. Full of food and tired from all the walking, they were fighting sleep even as they climbed the stairs. Once in the room with the door locked, Dominae fell onto the bed she'd picked out. Cacia had gone to her old room to get her things about midway through dinner, so she was also ready to collapse and sleep.

"I like your minion," she told Dominae sleepily. "He's not what I would have expected at all."

Dominae yawned. "No, he isn't," she said. "I was afraid of him at first, but he's been nothing but good to me." She smiled at Cacia. "Remember how we used to lay in the dark and talk about boys?"